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We Were Targets Because We Are Christians
December 09, 2008 12:27, 1,148 views
Mrs. Ojo Shike is also taking refuge in the NDLEA premises with her children. She told this magazine how her house was looted and vandalised
Q: Why are you in this refugee camp?
A: Last [penultimate] Friday we just saw people running helter-skelter and we were wondering was happening. But before we knew it, some Hausa youths arrived at our compound and were breaking down our doors and coming inside to attack us. But we were able to escape by the grace of God and we ran to this place. I later learnt that our homes were being broken into and vandalised and that all our belongings have been stolen.
Q: Why do you think they made your area their target?
A: It’s because we are Christians. Houses belonging to Christians in that area were all vandalised and destroyed. I think why they didn’t set the buildings on fire outright was because the fire may spread to their own houses. But all we have were looted. The looting was so comprehensive that even our (water) drums, pots and even the firewood we were selling were carted away. That is how bad it is. We only have the dresses that we escaped with now.
Q: How can a future occurrence of this be stopped?
A: If the government can provide adequate security, because so many people died in this crisis. There must be adequate security in this town. We have families whose entire members were wiped out.
Q: How long had you been living in that area?
A: We had been living there for about 20 years now. In fact, we were the first to start living in that area before others came to join us here.
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Etim Andong
9 December 2008 15:05It is so disheartening that propertises that took you years to acquire should go within a twinkle of an eye and only for a once house owner becoming a refugee in his own country. Also, I wonder if the perpetrators of this horrible act have human conscience. I pray the Almighty to grant these people the fortitude to bear their losses and the government to help out where possible. Please take heart and thank God for when there is life, there is hope.
Ibukun Odetola
9 December 2008 15:09When will we accept that Nigeria is not one country? The deep seated hatred we have for one another borne out of ethnicity or religion is actually getting worse and the thieves that call themselves politicians are busy preparing their escape route. It is just a matter of time before the entire country is submerged in violence. Now we have the opportunity to divide amicably rather than wait for that time when literally millions will be killed. Let’s spread the news, it is time Nigeria divide.
Humbly,
Ibk
tunde simpler
10 December 2008 14:41As far as I am concern we are not one. Come to think of it it is very common of this hausas to start killing non indegenes whether muslims or christians. This was not there first time. They even killed Youth Corpers on National assignment. This is not a nation. We better divide the country into the zone they are and let everybody answered her fathers name. Enough is enough. NYSC should be cancelled. The objective has been killed because of these bastards hausas on a killing spree. Is it by force that must live together. Our living together has not brought us comfort, peace and unity, rather it has brought us the opposite. Why then do we have to continue to live together. Our people are being killed in the name of ethnicity and because they are non moslem in the north. This is what led to the civil war. My advice is that southerners in the North should come back home. Your security is no more guaranteed. If someone lived in the north for more than 20 years and is now being killed just because he is not a northerners or a muslim, then we are not one. Please come back your sweet home.
It is time to put a stop to this rubbish. We do not want this marriage again. We have the natural right to say whaere we want to live and how we want to live. If it is a state in the south that this thing happend, reprisal attack would have commenced in the north. But come to think of it here in the south we are more humane, we do tolerate one another. Before you raise up a dagger to stab your fellow southerners, the matter would have been the worse to ever happen. Even then it is not on religious or ethnic matters that we would start killing one another. To hell with you the hausas in the north killing southerners. One day, one day you will reap what you are sowing. Shege dan bro banka whatever these mean
shola
10 December 2008 21:47This is our Nigerria.It is really unfortunate that at a time when the world is thinking of advancements in all fields of human endeavour
what we are thinking of brutal tribal sentiments that have been the bane of Nigeria’s development.The truth about all these is that there are people who think they stand to gain from these shameful acts.These are the people who for whatever is their gains will gleefully look ther other way while a particular section of Nigerians are being slaughtered but when these very people notice the sudden turn in events then it is time ti bring the law enforcements to stop.Coming to think about it,have we asked opur selves how much it costs to build and furnish a church,what is the cost in human lives that is wasted every now and then?Can anyone tell me why this country cannot be fragmented and those whom some people think are not wanted as part of Nigerians be free to leave.For sure every one knows the worse of should this enterprise ever suceed.
Auchman
10 December 2008 22:19Ojukwu forsaw this in 1966 when pogrom against the Igbos in kano led to the mass exodus of Igbo people home.later it was a civil war But now,anywhere that Igbo people live and you start a war,we must finish the war there.FACE NO DEY FEAR FACE. Look its high time all these nonsence attitude stop.ATTACK AN IGBO MAN,ATTACK YOUR SELF.WE NO DEY SHAKE.FACE NO DEY FAER FACE.IGHOTAGO. NWA ABA no dey carry LAST. if you need peace,we give you peace and if you attack us,we fight back.NDEWO NU.
Bobboyi
11 December 2008 12:55d Jos carnage once again brings to fore what everybody knows but tries to avoid even to mention it : Nigeria is a failed enterprises held hostage by a few. the elites have no religion tribe or gender, but common interest to rape Nigeria and kill its citizens.
people in Nigeria kill at will because no one was ever brought to justice for mass killing or murder. while we scream, shout and condemn Abuja and the Power Cabal like in the past remain silent, push the issue under the carpet and wait for it to reoccur again.
Jos has happened, not once, twice and i dare say it would again. Because no one ever gets to pay the price for this senseless daylight murder.
The way forward is to stop, reflect do we still want to be part of Project Nigeria, how do we live, who should lead us, and how.
there is no time for constitution review, alteration, amendment or whatever name. what we need is a Conference for Nigerians by Nigerians and the time is now. It is not sacrosant that We must be Nigerians. People make a Nation and not the reverse
ibrahim
12 December 2008 13:09Dear Editor,
am disppointed in you,because you found it deem fit to publish reports on the abuse and derogatory statements on Hausa people, but you cannot see any reason why you should publish an earlier criticism that i sent on your unbalanced,unfair and one sided reports on the recent jos crises.It is rather unfortunate if the news media will serve as agent in promoting disunity rather unity and understanding amongst the different ethnic/religious diversity in Nigeria.
William (UK)
16 December 2008 04:25Hiya, this is not the first time we are faced with this bitter truth to recognise ours is not a true federation. Instead, our leaders are quick to say that we are in a learning process. How on earth will someone take Nigeria as a country bound by unity in any ramification, the truth is that ours is about 8 countries rounded in one. Look at most progressive countries of the world, the power and strength is not in the large number but in cultural, religious and social oneness. Which way is Nigeria similar to these countries? Eve most progressive African countries are between 20 to 40 million, what is Nigeria doing with 150million people? A WASTE!!! While a low proportion of the population will be busy building the nation, an appreciable huge number will plunder it as it is being withnessed by the whole world in case of Nigeria. This is why it is easy for a minister from a different part of the country to see nothing wrong in putting the money meant for the development of another part in his own pocket. Let us see how a Yoruba man will become the president of the Yoruba nation and not be accountable to the people he is serving………
Let us go back to the drawing board and declare everyone for himself and God for us all.
OMOTUNDE OLATUNDE RUFUS FALANA
16 December 2008 08:33Am tribalistic and am happy to be one,Those southerner living in the northern part of the country are just risking there life for nothing.You need to know and be couscious of one thing ,It not a hidden agenda in hatred for you and your property.Almajiri or whatever name they are called are the instrument of terrorist in our midst.The jealousy of the notherner over there southern conterpart was not of today but for ages .It’s far worse than what is happening between Isreal and Palestine.There is no historical unity between the HAUSA [ NORTHERNERS] and the YORUBA.More of this will still happen again ,next time and you will all be at your own mercy ,if you like stay there ,you will blame yourself.Ilitracy couple with ignorace are worst than biological weapon.Northern people are heartless,and the southerners in their midst are PURE ANIMAL,if u are not animal what are u doing in a place you are not wanted.More of you will die without any grave unless you come home.Nothing like home.
kenny
18 December 2008 08:10Whats happening is a grand design (a wll-laid plan) to keep on reducing the population and the spread of christianity in the northThis we all know but we like to play ” .Statistically, islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. This is made possible primarily because of stiff resistance moslems always put up against chritians’ incursion into their ‘domain’ while on the other hand christians always welcome non christians to their domain in the name of ‘freedom of religion’. Leaders and politicians from the south that are suppose to condemn this pogron will keep silent for fear of being named tribalist. They must continue to pretend it mayhem is being caused by street urchins.The shameful aspect of this cycle of recurring burning, looting and killing is that the southerners that live in the north will start running anytime they are being pursued instead of being “men’ even just for once. Well, in the words of Wole Shoyinka, ‘The man died in those who keep silent in the face of tyrany’ If you can not be “men” leave their north for them